I recently bought a car but didn't have a trade in.

A few key things:

Don't hang around once you have seen a car. I saw 4 on the website and when I arrived the next day to look at them, 3 had been sold.

Although you can have as much time as you like to look round the car with the keys (you are allowed to start them but not move them), the test drive is quite short so make the most of it!

If you are not using CG finance then any deposit is non refundable. Also if it is likely that it will take more than 3 days to arrange everything then the deposit is £400.

Once you have agreed to buy the car, ensure you book an early collection appointment and be ready to wait. The process is detailed and quite labourious.

I haven't had cause to call their customer service team with an issue but HJ has said they are very good.

I've bought a couple of cars from Car Giant, both a few years ago though so things might have changed.

They charge an "admin fee" above the sticker price, so allow for that. They also charge extra for taking credit card, so it's better to use a debit card instead.

They pushed the finance side quite a bit even though I said I didn't want it, so I guess they make some commission on it.

The collections process can take a few hours, even though the car is ready. Don't think you can pop in to collect and be on your way in half an hour. It's more like a couple of hours.

The test drive involves about a half-mile trip around an industrial estate and back. You'll be lucky to get up to 30 mph, so it's not really a proper test. They do give a warranty though.